# What can you do with a Biology degree?

> Source: https://coursetojob.co.uk/courses/biology/ — updated 2026-09-25. Published by CourseToJob (independent; not affiliated with UCAS, HESA or GOV.UK).

**Quick answer:** A Biology degree commonly leads to roles such as laboratory technician, research assistant and quality control technician. Five years after graduating, Biology graduates had median earnings of £34,000 (middle half: £27,400–£42,500), and 89.3% were in sustained work or further study (DfE LEO, 2023–24 tax year). The largest employer sector for Biosciences graduates is professional, scientific and technical services (21.9% of those in work).

Biology covers organisms, labs, and fieldwork depending on the pathway. Graduates often start in technician and research-support roles. Official figures appear when an extract is loaded.

## What jobs can you get with a Biology degree?

- **Laboratory technician**: Runs routine assays, maintains equipment logs, and flags out-of-spec results. Skills often asked for: SOPs, pipetting, stock control.
- **Research assistant**. Skills often asked for: experiment planning, data capture, literature.
- **Quality control technician**. Skills often asked for: sampling, deviation notes, GMP awareness.
- **Conservation assistant**. Skills often asked for: surveys, GIS basics, volunteer coordination.

## Where do Biology graduates work?

Biosciences graduates in UK employment five years after graduating, by industry (DfE LEO industry data, tax year 2023–24; shares calculated by CourseToJob from DfE's rounded counts).

| Industry | Share of graduates in work | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 21.9% | £36,200 |
| Health and social work | 18.3% | £32,600 |
| Education | 13.7% | £31,500 |
| Wholesale and retail | 6.8% | £30,000 |
| Public administration and defence | 6.6% | £34,800 |
| Information and communication | 5.6% | £41,400 |
| Administrative and support services | 5.5% | £30,000 |
| Manufacturing | 5% | £34,800 |

## How much do Biology graduates earn?

UK-domiciled first-degree graduates in Biology (non-specific) (CAH03-01-02). Source: DfE LEO CAH level 3 subject data, tax year 2023–24 (https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/d8bc2906-419e-40ef-ad8e-9b2ccd3997dc). Each row is a different graduating cohort.

| Years after graduating | Graduated | Median earnings | Middle half | In work or further study | All-graduate median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021/2022 | £23,800 | £19,000–£27,800 | 89.1% | £26,400 |
| 3 | 2019/2020 | £29,600 | £24,500–£35,900 | 90.5% | £30,000 |
| 5 | 2017/2018 | £34,000 | £27,400–£42,500 | 89.3% | £33,700 |
| 10 | 2012/2013 | £40,300 | £29,300–£54,500 | 87% | — |

## Which universities have the highest-earning Biosciences graduates?

Median earnings five years after graduating, universities with at least 50 graduates measured (DfE LEO provider-level data, 2023–24). Not a quality ranking.

| University | Median earnings | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| [University of Oxford](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-oxford/) | £53,400 | 170 |
| [University of Cambridge](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-cambridge/) | £52,700 | 140 |
| [Imperial College London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/imperial-college-london/) | £43,900 | 120 |
| [Durham University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/durham-university/) | £42,500 | 150 |
| [University of Warwick](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-warwick/) | £41,900 | 135 |
| [University of Bath](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-bath/) | £41,000 | 150 |
| [University College London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/ucl/) | £39,900 | 150 |
| [University of Edinburgh](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-edinburgh/) | £39,200 | 230 |
| [Aston University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/aston-university/) | £38,100 | 135 |
| [University of Bristol](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-bristol/) | £37,700 | 270 |

## Is Biology the right degree for you?

You may enjoy it if:
- You like lab or field work as much as lectures.
- You are careful with protocols and contamination control.
- You want to understand living systems in mechanistic terms.

It may not suit you if:
- You dislike lab books, statistics, or repeating a failed assay.
- You wanted a purely essay-based science degree.
- You expected an automatic clinical licence.

## Interview questions for Biology graduate roles

Lab-technician and research-assistant interviews usually test method, contamination control, and honest recording. These prompts are editorial illustrations.

- Your replicate results do not match. What do you write down, and what do you do next? (What it tests: You record the anomaly; you do not quietly drop the inconvenient well.)
- Walk us through how you would prepare a simple buffer without contaminating it. (What it tests: Practical aseptic or clean-lab habits, not a memorised recipe from a kit insert.)
- A supervisor asks you to change a protocol mid-run. How do you handle that? (What it tests: Version control of methods and asking what to do with the samples already started.)
- How would you explain a p-value to a non-scientist colleague without overclaiming? (What it tests: Statistical humility in a service lab.)
- You notice stock is out of date. What is your process? (What it tests: Quality systems: quarantine, log, and not using it ‘just this once’.)

## Frequently asked questions

### What jobs can you do with a Biology degree?

Common starting roles include laboratory technician, research assistant, quality control technician and conservation assistant. Five years after graduating, the most common sectors for Biosciences graduates in work were professional, scientific and technical services (21.9%), health and social work (18.3%) and education (13.7%). These are examples, not guaranteed jobs: your experience, location and further training matter.

### How much do Biology graduates earn in the UK?

DfE Longitudinal Education Outcomes data for the 2023–24 tax year shows median earnings for UK-domiciled Biology graduates of £23,800 one year after graduating, £29,600 three years after graduating, £34,000 five years after graduating and £40,300 ten years after graduating. Each figure describes a different graduating cohort, not one person's pay rise, and it is gross pay for those in sustained employment, not a starting salary offer.

### Is a Biology degree worth it?

It depends on what you want to do. On the official data, 89.3% of Biology graduates were in sustained employment or further study five years after graduating, with median earnings of £34,000. For comparison, the median across all first-degree graduates of GB higher education institutions was £33,700 at the same point. That places Biology 73 of 146 subject groups by five-year median earnings. Earnings are only one factor: enjoyment of the subject, accreditation and the route into your target job matter too.

### Which universities have the highest-earning Biosciences graduates?

Among universities in our index with at least 50 graduates measured, the highest five-year median earnings for Biosciences were at University of Oxford (£53,400), University of Cambridge (£52,700) and Imperial College London (£43,900). These figures reflect entry grades, subject mix and where graduates work, so they are not a measure of teaching quality.

### Can international students study Biology in the UK?

Yes, most UK universities accept international applicants, but entry requirements, recognised qualifications, English-language evidence and overseas tuition fees depend on the university and programme. Check the university course page and international admissions team, then check visa requirements on GOV.UK.


Apply for undergraduate courses on UCAS: https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/courses?query=Biology